Fastener for arctics



(No Model.)

W. S. RICHARDSON. FASTBNER FOR AROTIGS', OVBRSHOES, &c.

No. 566.339. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

UNITED STATES P TENT. OFFICE.

\VILLIAM S. RICHARDSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEBALL-AND SOCKET FASTENER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE AND NASHUA,

NEW HAMPSHIRE.

FASTEN ER FOR ARCTICS, OVERSHOES, 84c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,339, dated August25, 1896. Application filed November 17, 1893. Serial No. 491,236. (Nomodel.)

To all whom. it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. RICHARD- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fastenersfor Arctics, Overshoes, and for Similar Purposes, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, inexplaining its nature.

The invention relates to a fastener for aretics, overshoes, 650.,comprising a single yielding ball or engaging member secured upon I 5 orattached to one side or flap of the shoe, and a ball-receivin g membermade from a flat plate or blank, having a line or series of holes forreceiving and holding the ball arranged, preferably, upon a curve, theedges of which are bent or folded to stiffen it, and the end of whichhas an ear or integral means by which it is secured to the other flap orside of the shoe.

The invention also relates to the improved form of yielding ball memberherein described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in plan of the blank from which theball-receiving member is made. Fig. 2 is a view representing the sameas'subjected to an operation whereby the series of holes is formedtherein and a slot formed in the section which becomes the ear. Fig. 3shows in plan, Fig. 4 in elevation, and Fig. 5 in cross-section, the

3 5 blank as finally shaped. Fig. 6 represents a vertical section of ayielding ball member attached to one of the holding flaps or sides ofthe shoe. Fig. '7 shows it engaged with the other member of thefastener. Fig. 8 shows in section the ball member secured to the flap bya somewhat different type of fasteningeyelet from that represented inFig. 6. Fig. 9 is a View in plan inverted of the ball member shown inFig. 6. Fig. 10 is a view in plan inverted of the ball member shown inFig. 8. Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the ball member. The yieldingball member of the fastening may be of any of the well-known types ofsuch devices. It is lettered A in the drawings and is represented asattached to the flap a, to project from the under surface thereof, and

there may or may not be over it, upon the upper surface of the flap, acap a.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings the yielding ball member is represented ashaving the flange a 5 5 the neck a and the enlargement of the head a anda slit or recess a is formed in the head and neck lengthwise them andthrough one side of the flange. This split head has attached to itsflange a th e plate a, which is in the nature of a collet and which hasthe central hole a of a bore less than that of the hole a in the outerend of the head. This plate receives and holds the turned-in edge a of afastening-eyelet a which passes through a hole in the material, and hasattached to its flange a a cap 0. The cap rests upon the upper or outersurface of the shoe flap or side, and forms an ornamental covering tothe ball-fastening device.

The hole a is formed in the end of the ball or head for the purpose ofallowing a setting instrument to be introduced into its cavity duringthe upset-ting of the end of the eyelet a upon the collet or plate a, asit is necessary to have at that point an anvil, against which the end ofthe eyelet may be forced and spread. The ball or head is held by a cupconcentric with the setting instrument during this setting operation.The flange a of the ball is not held by the turned-over edge of theplate a. in the sense that its resiliency is impaired.

In Fig. Sthe head, ball, or enlargement a is like that of Figs. 6 and 7,with the exception that a hole a is not formed in its end, the end beingcontinuous with the exception of the slit a which is formed in the headand flange for the purpose of giving it resiliency. This type of ball orhead is provided with a plate a and is attached to the flap or side a bya capped eyelet or fastening of a somewhat different type from thatabove described, the eyelet having a closed end and being like thatdescribed in my Patent No. 5 446,139, and having indentations initsbarrel which cause the barrel to expand in the neck of the ball uponthe inner surface of the plate d ,a11Cl this action of the eyelet takingplace upon the contact of the end I) with the end of the ball or head aThe ball or head when thus attached is held in a cup, together with theattached plate a. The eyelet capped or otherwise is introduced through ahole in the strap or the material and is forced against the innersurface of the head. This produces an expansion of the eyelet-tube uponthe inner surface of the ball-plate a and rigidly fastens it to theflap; but this does not effect the resiliency of the ball after theremoval of this holding-cup, because there has been no strain upon theturned-over edge I) of the plate a, which is never turned upon theflange a of the ball sufficiently to clamp the flange in place orprevent the resiliency of the ball.

WVhile the construction of the ball member herein described represents anovel type, I would say that I do not confine myself to the particularform of yielding ball herein described so far as its use in connectionwith the other members of the fastener is concerned.

The other member,B,of the fastener is made from a flat blank 0, whichhas formed in it and lengthwise of it a line of holes which are letteredc c having unyielding edges and of a size as to slightly contract theresilient member of the fastener as it is pressed through it and toengage it by its expansibility after it has been pressed through thehole and by the neck of the member which engages the edge of the hole.This ball-receiving member is further formed by having its edges c bentdownward parallel with each other to stiffen the fastening and also toraise the section of the plate in which the holes are formed from thesurface of the material or article with which it is used sufficiently toform a space or cavity for the reception of the ball.

Both the top plate and side flanges or edges of the ball-engaging memberare also preferably curved from end to end, and it has at one end meansby which it may be attached to the flap or side of the overshoe orarticle opposite that carrying the resilient ball or head. I .haverepresented this as accomplished by means of a slot 0 formed in the end0 of the fastener, and which is adapted to receive a strap or othersection of the flap or side to which it is secured, and which is passedthrough it, turned back upon itself in the form of a loop, and fastenedto itself. I do not, however, confine myself to this especial way ofsecuring this'part of the fastener to the flap or side. The advantage ofthe invention arises from its simplicity and cheapness and itseffectiveness as an adjustable fastener.

It will be seen that the blank from which the socket member of thefastener is made is substantially rectangular in shape and that sectionsof the blank are bent at an angle to the blank for the purpose offorming sides to the member of the fastener, which act to stiffen thestructure and allow thinner metal to be used and which also act to liftor elevate the socket-openings from the material to which the member issecured. It will also be observed that the plate member, together withthe sides, is curved from end to end.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States- 1. An adjustable fastener forovershoes, arctics and similar purposes comprising a member B, formedfrom a flat plate having a line of unyielding holes extended lengthwisethereof, and its edges bent inward to strengthen the plate and raise theholes, and having means for' attachment to the shoe flap or side at oneend, and a resilient ball member adapted to be secured to the other flapor side of the shoe or article with which it is used, and arranged toenter one of the holes of the said member B, and by its contraction andsubsequent expansion to make engagement with said member of thefastener, as and for the purposes described.

2. A member of a fastening comprising a ball or head, having a flangeand a plate a, attached to the said flange, and having a hole with aflanged fastening eyelet or rivet, a section of which is upset upon theinner surface of said plate a, to fasten the ball in place, or to thestrap or article with which it is used, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the head a having a hole a in its end, and theslit a and flange a the plate a having a central hole and secured to theflange a as specified, with the flanged eyelet a the end of which isupset upon the plate a, by an instrument introduced through the hole asubstantially as described.

4:. A member of an adjustable fastener for overshoes, arctics andsimilar purposes, formed from a single blank having socketentrances andsections of the plate bent downward at an angle to form sides of thesocketcavity, and having its central portion raised so as to elevate thesocket-opening above the material with which the fastener is used.

5. The combination of an adjustable fastener for overshoes, arctics andsimilar purposes, of a ball member attached to one side of the shoe,arctic, or other article, and a socket member attached to the other sideof the shoe, arctic, or other article, and formed from a single metalblank having at one end means for attachment to the strap, a line ofsocket-entrances, and integral parallel inwardly-bent sides which formwalls to the socket-chamber, and which ball and sockets are adapted toengage each other by resiliency, substantially as described.

WILLIAM S. RICHARDSON.

WVitnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2 J. M. DOLAN.

